Garlands Origins
by Ein the grim angle
Summary: How did Garland become the way he is in Final Fantasy 1
1. Strange Voices

"Garland….Garland….Garland…" a voice said calmly… Garland slowly open his eyes and sat up in his bed, remembering a voice, but not sure who it was that was calling him. He got up, and looked out the window and saw some knights down below practicing their swordsmanship in the court yard. He open up a door nearby and took out his armor, piece by piece he put on, unable to shake that voice from his head. He decided to good down and spar against a few of the knights, so his swordsmanship would better although it needed little improvement. On his way down the stairs the voice came again calling his name, then he head a sound from behind him snapping him back to reality. Garland turn around and saw a knight named Ray running towards him

"Garland, I'm glad you're up we have important orders from the king". Ray shouted running towards him "Garland the king needs to see us, now".

"What does the king need" Garland asked.

"I'm not sure, I was told to report to his majesty as soon as you were awake" Ray answered.

"Don't you think you should have been waiting for me outside my room" Garland asked as he walked towards the king's chamber.

"Yes, I guess I should have" Ray answered following Garland. Garland quickly made it to the king's chamber, opened it and walked in, followed by Ray. Garland and Ray kneeled to the king ready to hear his orders.

"Garland, Ray I'm glad you are both here. It seems we have a slightly bandit problem and I would like you two to take care of it" the king stated.

"Very well, your majesty, but do we have any leads as to their whereabouts?" Ray asked

'Yes, people from town have informed my knights that they see bandits going to the chaos shrine." the king explained.

"Yes your majesty" said Garland, standing up with Ray. They turned around and walk away ready to take on the bandits in the chaos shrine.

"Garland I want to make sure know what you up against" The shouted after them

"They are just bandits, as soon as show they will run for their lives" Garland shouted back at the king. Garland heard the King say something, but couldn't make it. As they walked away Garland thought of something, he seemed somewhat disrespectful to his majesty, shouting at him, not caring what he had to say, Garland shook it off and kept going.

"Are you sure we can take care of these bandits, I heard they have killed quite a few of people.' Ray nervously asked.

"You are a knight, act like one" Garland said coldly. They made their way out if the castle and walked towards the town to stock up on supplies. He looked around as the people in town noticing they seemed happy to see them, more than likely happy they were going to stop the bandits. As they walked towards the item shop Garland noticed Ray as slightly shaking.

"Ray, if you don't calm down you will get hurt…or worst" Garland shook his head slightly. Ray just nodded and took a deep breath as they walked in to the item shop.

"We need five potions, a hi-potion…for each of us" Garland said to the man in the shop.

"Oh, Sir Garland, going to stop those bandits, I've lost a lot of supplies because of them" The shop keeper quickly grabbed the potions. "Here you go free of charge"

"Sorry I don't believe in charity" Garland gave him a small sack of gil. Garland gave Ray his share of the potions walking out of shop. As they walk toward the edge of town they heard people give a small cheer to the knights. As they exited the town they saw a few goblins who ran at the sight of them.

"Be careful those goblins have an ambush ready for us" Garland told Ray

"Are you sure" Ray ask, and Garland just nodded. As they got closer to the woods, chains with hooks at the end were tossed at them and they dodged them. Goblins with knifes jumped out at them, Ray grabbed his twin sword and ran at the goblin, dodging and countering each goblin with a quick slash. Garland took two of them out with one swipe of his sword. Garland felt a chain wrap around his arm and a hook bounce off his armor, Garland garbed the chain and threw the goblin at the others. As the goblins got up the one who were still alive ran away, he turned around to see more goblins attacking Ray, he was on the ground chains pinning him to the ground. Garland started to run towards Ray, but a voice started to talk to him.

'Forget about him, take out the bandits and take all the glory, you can do it by yourself." The voice said.

"No!' Garland said to himself and easily slayed a few goblin nearby. Garland cut a few of the chains allowing Ray to get up.

"Ready" Garland asked.

"Any time" Ray replayed. One at a time Ray and Garland killed each of them and just like the other goblins they ran away after only a few were killed.

"I guess you were right, because of my nerve I almost died" Ray said. Garland stood there for a second wondering what that voice was…it almost sounded demonic. Ray patted Garland on the back, snapping him out of his thoughts.

'You ok, you seemed to be worried about something." Ray said.

"It's nothing to worry about, the Chaos Shrine is right around that ticket of tress "Garland said pointing. Ray and Garland quickly rounded the trees and saw the tall shrine in front of them.

"This is it" Ray asked, Garland nodded and walked towards the shrine.


	2. A Battle In A Shrine

Garland and Ray circled the shrine to see if any lookouts where around, to their surprise there weren't any. As they neared the door Ray decided to test the door for traps, so he threw a pebble at the door, and no traps went off. Ray nodded at Garland as they slowly walk up to the door and opened it up peering inside. They could here bandits talking and laughing, behind a closed door in front of them.

"Ray, take that hall and I'll take this one, these two halls meet in the center, I want to make sure they are all in that room so we don't have unexpected reinforcements". Ray nodded as he start down the left hall, and Garland walked down the right one hoping the hall was clear. As Garland walked down the halls he saw doors with locks on them, which he conclude that was where they kept their loot, Garland turned a corner as a sword came down towards him, he easily dodged it, drew his sword and stopped before beheading Ray.

"Ray…what were you thinking?"

"I thought you were a bandit."

'I told you these halls connected didn't I?"

"Ya, but better safe than sorry, right?"

"How is killing me safe"

"I'm sorry, Sir…I guess I wasn't…"

"Thinking, I know, next time look before you leap…or slash in this case". Garland shook his head looking that his sword then at Ray.

"Kill him Garland, do it now, he tried to end your life, end his as punishment. He'll never make that mistake again, how could he if he is de-" The same voice told him, but Garland shut out the voice before it finish it last word. He closed his eyes and tried to figure out why this voice was talking to him.

'Sir, are you ok, do we need to retreat for now?" Ray ask looking worried about his commander.

"No, I'm fine…just felt lightheaded for a second thats all" Garland answered troubled by the voice not once, but twice telling Garland to let Ray die. They took positions near the door ready, Ray took out two vials with chemicals and looked at Garland for his mark. Garland drew his sword, grabbed one door handle and Ray grabbed other one. Garland nodded and opened the day doors quickly Ray threw the chemicals in creating smoke as they broke open on the ground and Garland ran in, with Ray right behind him. A bandit jumped towards Garland and countered Garlands charge with his axe.

"You thought we didn't know you were here, we wanted you here so you could both die here" The bandit laughed as he readied his axe for another assault. Garland didn't give him a chance, he quickly tackled him then sliced him open with one slash of his sword. Two more bandits jumped him from behind, Garland took one out as Ray took the other out from behind. They stood back to back ready to deflect any attack that came towards them, they could hear the bandits moving around and the smoke started to clear.

Garland looked around and counted eight more bandits, as Ray leaned back slightly and whispered "there are three on this side".

Garland leaned back and told him "Eight on this side".

One bandit ran at Garland and swung his sword at him, Garland matched the bandits sword with his own and easily over powered him, slaying the bandit. All the other bandits took a step back and took defensive stances. Ray took and offensive stance ready to kill, Garland laid and hand on his shoulder and shook his head and Ray lowered his sword.

"I can tell you all have lost the will to fight, come with us now and I promise the king will go easy on you" Garland told them.

"Why, just kill them, who knows how many people they have killed for their own greedy reasons." the voiced urged Garland to kill them all, Garland griped his sword then let go of it as the voice faded away.

"Thank you sir knight, we promise to turn over a new leaf after we see the king" a bandit said who seemed to be the leader. Garland trusted them told them to wait outside as Garland and Ray took the loot form the rooms so they could bring back to town. As they bandits left Garland noticed one of the bandits had a pendent on that matched one that a citizen reported stolen a few weeks ago, and walked over to get it.

"You killed my brother!" A bandit jumped out from behind a pillar, running at Garland, who couldn't react in time.

"Garland sir" Ray ran and pushed Garland out of the way as the axe cleaved in Rays neck. Ray dropped down dead.

"You monster" Garland took his sword and cut the bandit down.

"Ray please don't be dead, we need to finish this mission together" Garland felt tears running down his cheeks as he looked at his dead friend.

"Why are you sad, I say good riddance" the voice spoke again.

"Why hold back? Kill the bandits outside, they took a friend away from you, take their lives away from them."

"Yes" Garland said as you marched outside to the bandits. He threw open the doors and looked at the unarmed bandits.

"Are we going to castle next sir knight?" one bandits asked.

"No, I have decided you are all guilty and it's not worth bringing you to the king" Garland said as he drew his sword.


	3. Returning To Town

Garland opened his eyes, and shook his a bit. He felt as if his was in a daze, he took his sword and he was shocked to find it coated in blood…the bandits blood. Looking around him he saw the dead bodies all over the field outside the Chaos Shrine.

"Did I do this?" Garland asked himself.

"Yes, you did, you lost yourself to anger" The same voice from earlier said.

"Lies, I would never do something so heartless!" Garland yelled.

"Say what you want, but you killed them with your own sword, I saw the whole thing" the voice said laughing a bit. Garland shook his head as if trying to get rid of the voice, and started to dig a hole wanting to give Ray and the bandits a popular burial like the bandits from before. As he dug he wondered if the voice was gone for good, or just for now, and if he really did kill the bandits. Another thought came to him as he when in to get Rays body, what the tell Rays family, Garland always thought Ray was far to young to be a knight, and now he was gone. Garland took Rays sword and he buried Ray, then he gave him his respects and slowly walked towards the castle, not wanted to face the people or the King.

"Then don't" the voice came back, it sent shivers down Garland spine.

"Go back to the Chaos Shine and become what you secretly want, become ruler of this world" The voice said as if it was trying to comfort him. Garland shook his again, and again the voice stopped specking. Garlands walk to the castle of uneventful physically, but mentally it was a battle, keeping the voice away and wondering how to tell the King and Rays family what happened.

He entered town and the people looked at him, but didn't say anything knowing that they lost a knight seeing Rays sword in Garlands hands. Garland walked thought streets towards Rays home, it was in center of town so it was crowded and took a while to get there. Garland was lost in his thoughts as he neared Rays house, and he was standing in front of it before too long. Garland knocked on the door and a few moments later Rays Mother answered the door.

"Oh Sir Garland it's good to see you again, how is everything at th-" Ray mother cut herself off as she saw the extra sword he was carrying. Garland had token off his helmet and looked at her with saddened eyes

"No, you can't be here to….to" His mother stammered as she took a few steps back and started to cry. Garland only shook his head in response, Rays Father walked in from the other room.

"Who is it ho- wait what's wrong" He ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Your son, Ray, died in the line duty today sir" Garland said slowly, almost unable to say the full sentence. Ray Father started to cry with his wife as Garland walked in, and closed the door so the towns' people wouldn't see the sadness that was going on in the house.

"End their suffering, let them be with their son" The voice came loud and clear, it seemed to echo though Garlands head. Garland shook his head hoping the voice would go away again, but it didn't.

'Don't let them suffer anymore, they won't even know it happened if you're quick enough and slice cleanly" The voice urged him. Garland griped his sword then let go of it. He dropped Rays sword, opened the door and ran away from Rays crying parents. Garland knew he should have stayed with his close friends parents and try to help them thought this hard time, but he almost drawn his sword, could he have stopped himself if he did draw his sword. He didn't want to take that chance, as he got to the castle he ran to his room not answering anyone who called his name, closed the door and locked it. Now he could try and find out what this voice was, would it talk to him again. He wait for almost an hour, but not voice came to him, Garland sighed knowing he wasn't going to get answer. He walked out of his room and slowly made his way to the kings chamber as the king look upon him.

"I heard you came back quite some time ago, but didn't report to me….did something happen?" The King asked.

"I'm sorry my lord, but Ray lost his life, and I needed sometime." Garland answered. The King looked shocked, then shook his head slowly unable to believe that Ray was gone.

"Did you bury him already?' The King asked.

"Yes, and already delivered his sword to his family" Garland answered

'Garland, I don't mean to sound heartless, but the bandits are they taken care of?" Garland nodded unable to look up anymore.

"Garland I know you and Ray were close, please rest here for a few days" The King told him. Again Garland just nodded and walked out of the kings chambers slowly.

"Garland wait" a voice called to him, Garland turned around to see Princess Sarah. Garland wait for her to get to him.

"I heard what happened to Ray sir Garland, and I just wanted to say sorry for your lost" Sarah told him.

"Thank princess, I means a lot to me that you care" Garland started to walk up the stairs.

"What a pretty young lady, perhaps she can be you Queen, take her away from the king now." The voice urged him again. Garland shook his head and voice was gone as he got to his room he laid down on his bed and fell into a deep sleep.


	4. Garlands Warning

Garland opened his eyes, and realized he was on the ground. He shook his head as he got up, then he realized that he had his armor on. He looked around not sure where he was, but nearby was a door, and he felt dread in the pit of his stomach as he realized where he was…he was in the center of the Chaos Shrine.

He slowly reached out his hand to open the door, a little afraid of what he would see on the other side. Garland shook his head, knowing that there was no reason to be afraid to open a door, then he had opened less than a day ago. He grabbed the handle and slowly opened the door and look in the room, it was empty with only a black orb and a body on the floor tied up. Garland ran over to the body wanting to help them.

"Are you ok, who did this to you?" Garland asked turning the person over so he could see their face. Garland turned the body over, as Galand turn her over confusion and fear washed over him.

"Princess Sarah?" Garland looked over her "Who did this to you?". Garland checked her pulse, she was alive and breathing normally.

"Who did this to her, that's a funny question, it was you" The same voice came back to him, Garland listen to the voice, but never said anything to it.

"Don't worry you only knocked her out you should be worried about a warrior on his way here, to stop you" the voice told him. Garland looked towards the door he had just entered moments ago, and he heard someone enter the shrine. Garland wasn't sure what to do soon he would come to the room that Garland and the princess where in.

"If I were you I would get ready for battle" the voice warned. The door opened and a young man walked in, he had red spiky hair, with red armor that match his hair, he looked very strong, with a sword that the blacksmith back at town made plenty of, around his belt was four different colored crystals.

"Who are you" Garland asked.

"My name is Dart" Dart answered.

"You have come take the princess back?" Garland asked.

"Yes I have, and I will take you down as well"

"If he comes at you knock him down and silt his throat" the voice advised Garland.

"I don't wish to fight you Dart"

"After all the innocent people you killed, you think I'm going to let a monster like you live"

"I didn't kill anyone"

"Yes you did, I saw the bodies, and do you think all the people who saw you are lying to me". Garland watched as Dart drew his sword and ran towards Garland. Garland drew his sword and blocked Darts attack. Drat swung at Garland over and over, not giving Garland anytime to counter attack him. Dart swung his sword upward, knocking Garlands sowrd out of his hand, then tackled Garland sending him flying and he hit a wall. Dart walked towards him, his sword at the ready.

"I heard you were the best knight in the kingdom, I guess your blacked heart has weakened your swordsman ship skills" Drat stood in front of Garland now.

"I didn't do anything" Garland said weakly still dazed.

"You will harm no one else" Dart shouted and he plunged his sword in to Garlands chest. Garland let a yell as he felt the pain, he closed his eyes and opened them again only to find himself in his room. Garland touched his chest but there was not a sword wound. Garland sat up breathing heavily realizing he was in a cold sweet.

"So, did you like the vision of the future?" the voiced asked.

"That was no vision that was a nightmare…nothing more" Garland stated.

"No, that is what will happen if you don't do what I say to change it" the voice said.

"I don't know what tricks you are trying to play on me, but they won't work" Garland shouted.

"You'll come around sooner or later" the voice said.

"You'll be in for a long wait" Garland said getting up.

"We shall see" the voice said "We shall see"


	5. Garlands First Victim

Garland left his room and walked down the stairs, the voice had left him…for now. He remember his dream about the warrior and the crystals around his belt, they look familiar to him. He got to the main hall of the castle and decided to look up the crystals in the study. He walked down the hall and entered the study and started to look for the history books. It didn't take long to find the history books, but wasn't sure what book would hold the answers he wanted. His eyes widen when he saw a book titles "_The Crystals of Elements_", he quickly took the book from the self and read it.

Garland open the book and skimmed though it, until he saw the red crystal from his dream. The text read "_The red crystal stand for the element of fire, without it fire would lose its light and heat_". Garland then turned the page with the blue crystal "_The blue crystal stands for water, without it the water would be to dangerous to drink and the sea would get much more dangerous_ ". Next page was the brown crystal "_The brown crystal stands for Earth, without the land would crumble and crops couldn't grow_". Lastly was the green crystal "_The green crystal stands for the Wind, without there would be no breeze to push ships over the seas". _

Garland looked thought book more and came across a drawing of a monster or a Demon, underneath the drawing was the word Chaos. As Garland look at the drawing he could help but feel uneasy about it, like he had meet this Demon before. The next page had a picture of the Chaos Shrine, and the four crystals next to it.

"This book has some information, but most of it is just pictures, and not much else" Garland thought to himself. He kept looking tough it hoping for something to turn up. Next he found a page with four drawing on it underneath the drawings it read "_The Four Element Fiends_", again he felt like he had seen these fiends before. Garland decided to see if he could find these were this fiends were, but the book had no answers. He had looked on every page but no answers he put it back and looked around for more books. He look down the shelf, but nothing looked like it would help.

"Go to the Chaos Shrine!" The voice yelled.

"Why, what's there" Garland demanded, but the voice didn't answer.

"What will I find" Garland demanded again, still no answer.

'Who, or whatever, you are you seem deadest on going there. I hope it shut you up if I go there" Garland said shaking his head and headed out of the castle. He ran out of town hoping the Chaos Shrine would have answers for him. He ran until he heard footstep behind him, and turned around to see monster were following him. Goblins, Crazy Horses, Black Widows, and other monster where behind him but didn't attack, instead they just look at him as if waiting for orders.

"Be gone with you!" Garland shouted, and the monster ran away, so waited for a few seconds and then ran. Garland shook his head in confusion, not sure if he scared them or the monster really did listen to his orders. He didn't know, nor did he really care, as he continued to the Chaos Shrine. He got the shrine and kicked opened the door. Garland look around, but didn't see much, not much that wasn't seen already at least. He opened up the central door, where he had fought Dart in his dream. He scanned the room and there sat a man who looked like Dart sleeping nearby. Garland could believe what his was seeing, the same man the same hair armor, and face.

"Kill him now or he will kill you in the future" The voice said. Garland felt rage building up inside of him, he was getting very mad.

"What am I angry at, the voice, this man, my dreams". Without a thought he Garland took his sword and stabbed Dart, Darts eyes shot open, and looked at his killer.

'Sir Garland…why?" Dart said right before he died. Garland anger disappeared, Garland took a few step back, and couldn't believe he killed someone for no reason.

"At least now you are safe from him" the voice said.

"You made me do that didn't you?" Garland asked.

"No, I just gave you advice and you took it" the voice said laughing.

"Like I said you'll listen to me one way or the other."


	6. Garland Breaks

Darts blood dripped off Garlands sword, as he tried to find a way to hide the deed he had done. Garland then remember the crystal from his dream, he reach down to grab them but they were not there.

"Where are the Crystals" Garland asked as he quickly searched Darts body.

"Who says Dart had them?" The voice asked.

"I guess, just because I dreamt it, doesn't mean it's real" Garland stated.

"If I were you I would go back to the castle and act like you know nothing about this" the voice whispered. Garland nodded thinking that it was a good idea. Garland turned and left the shrine and head towards the Castel. He noticed that once again the monster followed him as he walked, he turned around, and glared, and the monster ran off. He stopped at the ocean nearby and washed the blood off his sword and armor, there wasn't much, but the less evidence the better. As he walked in to town he saw that several knight were walking out of town with building supplies, one stopped in front of him.

'Sir Garland, the king wants us to rebuild the bridge to the north, we would greatly appreciate your help "the knight said hopefully, Garland shook his head.

"Sorry, but I have a lot on my mind right now, I doubt I'd be any help." Garland said.

"You'd be more help than the new knight, we told him to get back the items those bandits took and he still hasn't come back, I bet he is sleep on the job" The knight said shaking his head.

"New Knight?" Garland asked?

"Yes his name is…Dirk or…Dart, something like that" the Knight just shook his head. "Well, if you get to feeling better, you're more than welcome to help us". Garland watched as they walked off, unsure if he truly just heard that. He knight he had just killed, was that Dart, the new knight. Garland shook his head dismissing the idea. He ran towards the castle, a few people called out to him, but he didn't stop, he didn't care who wanted to talk to him. As he got the main hall he walk to his room, no said a word to him, not that he cared much.

"Aren't you tired, if I were you I'd rest and get some strength back" the voice advised.

"I just woke up a few hours ago" Garland said.

"You will want to sleep, it will help you in the end" the voice said". Garland realized he was a little tired and decided it would be a good idea to sleep. It didn't take long after he laid down that he fell asleep. He was dreamless, and restful until something knock him out of bed.

"Garland you are under arrest" A knight shouted. Garland opened his eyes, waited a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the light, and noticed three knights were in front of him.

"What for, I have not done anything" Garland said calmly.

"Murder, you killed Dart" the Knight shouted.

"I didn't do anything of the sort, nor do you have any prove" Garland said.

"Missing something" the knight asked hold up Garlands family crest covered in Darts blood. Garland searched for his crest, but it was gone, he realized it must have fallen off him, after he killed Dart. Garland took a step back, reaching for his sword.

"This was why I told you to rest, now slay them" the voice ordered. Garland hesitated for a second or two, but ran at them, with his sword drawn. One knight took out his sword and tried to slash at Garland but Garland dodged and cut off his head. He then ran at another knight who wasn't fast enough to draw his sword and was stabbed in the heart. The final knight tried to stab Garland with his lance, but missed giving Garland the chance to end him. Garland grabbed his lance and pulled it away from him, turned it around, and killed the knight with his own lance.

"Now what should I do Garland" asked himself.

"Take a hostage and go somewhere safe, then give the hostages life for the bridge to be finished and, then you can get away." The voice said. Garland waited for a second, it seemed like the voice knew the future or something.

"Do you know something I don't" asked Garland. There was no response, but the voice at least had an idea, while he didn't. Garland ran down toward to the garden, were a secret passage was, that only the best knights and king knew about. As he ran though he saw the princess and decided that she was the best hostage he could find and slowly sneak up on her. He stepped in front of her ready to take her.

"Sir Garland what are you doi-"she was hit in the head so hard she was knock out.

"Garland is taking the princess" someone yelled. Garland looked back and saw several knight were running towards him. Garland claimed his prize and left the castle quickly hoping that that no one would see him take the passage, his luck hadn't hold out as the heard the knight going in after him. He made it outside and ran into the forest. And heard metal of the knights armor that were after him, but something else as well. Garland turned around and saw monster behind him, a lot of monster.

"Monsters, kill the knights after me, don't let one live" Garland ordered. The monster turned around and got ready to fight as Garland ran for the shrine. As monster followed him from deeper in the forest. Garland had another plan for these monsters.

'Don't let anyone in here" Garland order as he walked in the shrine. Garland thought about his situation. Less and a few hours ago he was loyal to the king and know he wanted them all dead. He laid the princess down and sat next to her, thinking about what to do next.


End file.
